Join Museum naturalists in search of the avian residents and visitors of Lorain County. While the focus of the search will center on winter raptors known to favor certain sites, rural Lorain County can produce wonderful views of Horned Larks, Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs. Early waterfowl migration is possible, and a stop at the Wellington Reservoir is a must!

Join us for a field trip that has become a yearly tradition at the Museum. The Sundberg Meadow is a great place to cast away the drudge of cabin fever and commune with nature. We will look for signs of birds and mammals that are utilizing this vast meadow during the winter months.

Visit this highly successful wetland restoration project, one of the most unique in Northeast Ohio, perhaps in the state. We’ll be expecting the Northern Shrike to make an appearance, with the possibility of a Rough-legged Hawk as well. Whether mud or snow, we’ll also be looking for the tracks of fox and coyotes as we view the beautiful vista of the Pond Brook drainage area.

The first weekend of March can bring many things including 6 inches of snow and brazen, (a.k.a. crazy) male red-winged blackbirds coming up from warmer haunts to set up territory and await the arrival of females. We will enjoy a late winter hike at one of the Museum’s newest natural areas, the Sparks Preserve, as we fulfill our New Year’s promise to get off our sofas and spend more time outdoors.

Join naturalists on a night hike in search of owls and other twilight-loving creatures at the Wendtwood Preserve. Participants will look for signs and hopefully hear the mournful hoots of the Great Horned Owl and the piercing whinny of the Eastern Screech Owl. Perhaps the glowing eyes of a fox, deer or other nocturnal mammal will add to the evening’s investigations. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight.

Join us as we travel to select locations in Northeast Ohio for flocks of Tundra Swan, early nesting American Bald Eagle, diving ducks and additional waterfowl, raptors and seasonally serendipitous sightings. Areas we’ll visit include LaDue, Mosquito Creek and Pymatuning Reservoirs, as well as wooded and open-ground habitats suitable for raptors and early migrants. A Museum favorite for 28 years, this is a great trip to see wildlife at its wildest, put winter behind us and look forward to spring.

Nestled in Northwestern Pennsylvania, Presque Isle is an historical staging area for numerous waterfowl and gulls. Join naturalists in their exploration of this famous birding area. Winter Finches, Southern Owls and Northern Shrikes are always a possibility here at this time of year.

Join our hardy band of leaders as we investigate this picturesque river corridor for the unique beauty of tree and plant buds as they develop to meet the springtime warmth. Learn useful identification skills for some of the rare species of shrubs found along the banks of the hemlock ravine. An added bonus can be sightings of the secretive birds that make this unusual area their home.

Travel preview nights feature upcoming travel opportunities within the Explorer Travel Club. The program is free, but registration is recommended.

The last weekend in March is a great time to visit the Grand River Terraces after dark. If the conditions are right, the echoing calls of frogs can be a true stereo experience, and we will likely get an up-close glimpse of the frogs and salamanders that utilize the many ponds at the preserve. Join us for some hands-on fun as we experience the nightlife of vernal pools.

Join us for a tour of classic near West Side Cleveland structures, with a close look at the local and imported stones used in their construction. We will examine the stone, architecture and setting of a series of bridges, churches and other structures. These will include the Old Viaduct, St. John’s Episcopal Church, the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge and St. Patrick’s Church.

Join us for a spring hike through one of the Museum’s newest natural areas. The Floyd Preserve contains a high-quality coldwater tributary to the Conneaut Creek. It also contains beautiful woodlands, and several ponds that we can check for amphibians.

Old man winter is reluctantly releasing his grip, and the salamanders and frogs know it. The last weekend in March often brings the first warm air mass and the smells and sounds of spring. If the conditions are right, the sound of spring can be deafening with the calls of spring peepers and wood frogs around sunset. Join us for some "hands-on" fun as we track down these tiny critters with impressive voices!

Spend a spring day canoeing in the gorge of the state designated Wild and Scenic Grand River. After only a few spring trips pulling out the invasive garlic mustard, we have kept this "Gorge-ous" section of the river from being overrun by this alien invader. We’ll also stop to admire the old growth Hemlock ravines and waterfalls at the Museum’s own natural area along the river, the 46-acre Cash/Hertrick Preserve.

We will be exploring the channel ponds of this preserve, looking for signs of amphibian activity. What’s a channel pond? Come and find out. We’ll also note early spring wildflowers, that is, if the snow has left our region! After the long winter, join us to celebrate springtime with the amphibians. You never know what early migrating birds we may see as well.

As one of our newest sites, the Cox Preserve adds a pristine beauty to the Museum’s preserve system. While the focus is the search for early spring wildflowers, join naturalists in probing the wooded hills and valleys for amphibians, birds and the possibility of finding rarities in this hidden natural hideaway.

Springtime in Ashtabula County is a must-see event. This preserve offers wonderful examples of wildflowers, vernal pool life and hosts a magnificent, diverse floodplain environment. Bird migration will provide us with song and sights aplenty. This is a favorite preserve to visit at any season but a spring visit can’t be beat.

Join the Museum’s Stewardship Team for a garlic mustard pull and nature hike along the scenic Rocky River. We will likely see a vast array of native spring-blooming wildflowers as we remove garlic mustard from a stretch of the Rocky River floodplain. We will also discuss why garlic mustard is so threatening to floodplain habitats. Light refreshments will be provided for all participants at the end of the trip.

Join us for a hike through one of the Museum’s newest preserves as we look for spring wildflowers. We’ll also look for salamanders and do some bird watching. Then we’ll descend into the gorge down to the Grand River. 

Spring is a beautiful season to take a walk along the scenic Chagrin River. We will look at some of the native wildflowers that are growing on the floodplain and take time to pull the invasive garlic mustard that we encounter along the way. We will also explain why removing garlic mustard is so crucial to maintaining the quality of floodplain ecosystems. Light refreshments will be provided for all participants at the end of the hike.

Visit Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park and Canyon de Chelly National Monument archaeological sites with Curator of Archaeology Dr. Brian Redmond and Dr. Steve Lekson from the University of Colorado, the pre-eminent scholar of southwestern United States archaeological sites.

In May the southern shore of Lake Erie is a major stopping point for migrating birds heading north. Birds rest and feed before trekking over or skirting around the lake giving us an opportunity to see them up close. Join us to explore and experience Winous Point Shooting Club (part of the Winous Point Marsh Conservancy), Magee Marsh Wildlife Refuge and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge as we tally up 100 plus species. We will spend Sunday afternoon and evening at Winous Point then head to Magee Marsh and/or Ottawa on Monday. Part of the trip is experiencing the lodging at Winous Point and the surrounding wetlands. Participants will drive to Winous Point where lodging is dormitory style. Dinner Sunday evening and breakfast Monday morning will be provided at the Winous Point clubhouse. Bag lunches will be taken into the field. Museum vans will take participants to birding areas. Note: This program is designed for the avid birder and is not suitable for youths under the age of 16.

Bird migration will be in full swing at this time of year. Numerous vireo, thrush and warbler species will be the target of our birding trek. Add to this the chance to see several Bald Eagles and this trip should please even the most hard-core birder!

Join Museum naturalists and bird bander Tom Bartlett on Kelleys Island for a demonstration on bird banding. Bartlett has been banding birds on the island for the last 12 years. Observing the banding of these small beauties will change your entire perception of the birds you see from a distance through binoculars. Travel to the island on the 9 am Kelleys Island ferry from Marblehead. Participants are responsible for their own transportation once on the island. Site is not within walking distance of the ferry landing, so either bring your car or bicycle to the island. Ferry fee not included.

The towpath trail is one of our greatest resources in Northeast Ohio, but do you know all there is to see there? Join the Museum for our first-ever "bike ride with a naturalist" and learn about the ecosystems that surround the path. We will leisurely ride from the Canal Visitor Center south 11.3 miles to the Peninsula Depot Visitor Center, stopping frequently to look at migratory birds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as lots of plants and wildflowers. In Peninsula, we will catch a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Rail Road for the return trip back to our cars. Please contact outdoor education coordinator Nathan Taxel at (216) 231-4600, ext. 3251 with questions or for bike rental information.

Join us on a canoe/kayak trip, up or down the Upper Cuyahoga, seeking Jewelwing damselfly and Prothonotary Warblers. We hope participants will be distracted by the antics of the nesting Prothonotary Warblers that frequent this stretch of the river.

The purple spike of the native lupine is a sight worth seeing and there are plenty at our North Kingsville Sand Barrens. Walk the ancient sand dunes with us as we discuss the prehistoric formation of this land, a rare remnant in Ohio. The lupine is the host plant of the Karner Blue Butterfly’s caterpillar and, though the butterfly no longer resides here, we’ll have an opportunity to discuss the reliance that all wild creatures have upon plant diversity and why the Museum’s preserves are saving the best of the best in Northeast Ohio.

Help us rescue plants for our gardens. Each year we arrange visits to development sites in Northeast Ohio to save the native plants. Join us on site to dig out the native plants. Afterward, we’ll travel to the Museum to plant them in our native wildflower gardens.

Shore birds by the thousands stage and migrate along coastal Massachusetts. This is also breeding habitat for Piping Plover and Roseate Tern. Learn about the work of the Goldenrod Foundation and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, all near historic Plymouth Rock and Plimoth Plantation. Finalized dates and costs to be determined.

The Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world and is home to the greatest wildlife concentrations on the South American continent. The wide open spaces of the Pantanal provide excellent wildlife viewing. Expect to see huge numbers of caiman and waterbirds herds of capybara, small groups of marsh deer and anacondas. With luck we could see giant anteater, giant river otter, tapir, maned wolf, ocelot and even the elusive jaguar. The birdlife is no less spectacular including flightless rheas, giant jabiru storks, colorful toco toucans and, the symbol of the Pantanal, the endangered hyacinth macaw. We will visit both the northern and southern portions of the Pantanal during our trip in order to maximize our chances of seeing the greatest diversity of wildlife. We also offer an exciting and bird-filled post-trip extension to Cristalino Lodge in the Southern Amazon.